Ecclesiastes 8:10-9:10 (Fear God and Enjoy Life)

Introduction

The most famous English poet (maybe the most famous poet and playwright of all time?) is William Shakespear… And one of Shakespear’s best-known lines begins a scene in the play called Hamlet. And in this famous scene, with one of the most recognized poetic lines, written by the best English poet, the main character wrestles with the very question that is before us in Ecclesiastes today.

How and why should I endure a world so full of pains and injustices?

What do I do with myself when I realize that I cannot escape?

And if I should die (by my own efforts or error), what then?

For those of you who know this literature, I may offend your sensibilities by changing a word here and there… But the vocabulary is old, and many of us probably struggle to understand hard words… So, bear with me…

Shakespear wrote, in the mouth of Hamlet,

To be, or not to be – that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them.

To die– to sleep– To be no more;

And by this sleep to say we end the heartache, the thousand natural shocks that flesh inherits.

This is a consummation devoutly to be wished.

To die– to sleep. To sleep– perchance to dream:

Ay, there's the rub!

For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come?

When we have shuffled off this mortal body, what then?

This must give us pause.

There's the respect that makes disaster of so long life.

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

the oppressor's wrong, the proud man's insult,

the pangs of love not returned, the law's delay,

the disrespect of one’s status,

and the spurns… that patient enduring of unworthy takes,

when he himself might make and end of all?

In these profound words, Shakespeare echoed something of the lament we read in Ecclesiastes today. And Shakespeare’s proposed solution (at least from Hamlet’s perspective) was to make and end of himself.

But this is not the solution offered in Scripture. Rather, we shall see today that there’s real joy to be experienced in this life for all who fear and trust in God… and there is greater joy yet to come for those who live in the fear of God through whatever days God gives us in this truly unjust, absurd, and fleeting world.

Scripture Reading

Ecclesiastes 8:10–9:10 (ESV)

8:10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.

11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.

12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him.

13 But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

15 And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one’s eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

9:1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. 2 It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.

3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all.

Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.

9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

Main Idea:

Life is truly unjust, absurd, and fleeting in this world under the sun, but we must fear God and enjoy life (not despair), because God has given us these days and they will soon be over.

Sermon

1. Life is Unjust and Absurd (8:10-14)

Life is truly unjust and absurd in this world under the sun.

There are Four sections or parts to our passage today –

two that are negative (points 1 and 2 of my sermon)

full of observations of the vanity or absurdity of life under the sun

and two that are positive (points 3 and 4 of my sermon)

full of applications of what to believe and how to live

You can see the section breaks for yourself.

Ecc. 8:15. The “Preacher” says, “I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful.”

Ecc. 9:7. The “Preacher” says, “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart.”

These two commands (and the verses that follow) urge the reader to enjoy the simple things of life (as God’s good gifts), and they are each sandwiched between other verses that describe a bunch of the vanity of sin and mortality.

One of the major themes of Ecclesiastes is that this world is shot through with sin… and death is coming for us all.

In this first section (8:10-14), we see the “Preacher” focus again on the reality that the wicked in this world don’t always suffer the consequences they should.

He says, “I saw the wicked buried” (v. 10), but he says, “they [i.e., the wicked] used to go in and out of the holy place” (v. 10).

In other words, in life, the “wicked” participated in religious stuff just like the righteous, and they were not outed as “wicked.”

So too, the “Preacher” says, “the wicked… were praised in the city where they had done such things” (v. 10).

In other words, when the “wicked” were “buried,” they were not criticized by those who knew them, but “praised!”

Friends, how often have we been at funerals where the eulogy spoke of someone we did not know?!

It’s one thing to refuse to speak ill of the dead, but it’s another thing entirely to invent a legend on the spot.

“We all know that man in the casket, and he was never that good. He never loved and cared like that. He never honored Christ or Christians in his life.”

We know, like the “Preacher” says here, “this… is vanity” (v. 10). The legend is not true, and everyone knows; but we all pretend and even praise the wicked.

Next, the “Preacher” says that the “wicked” ones who do “evil” do not receive a “speedy” execution of the just and due “sentence” (v. 11).

This, of course, is an injustice itself.

Justice is when criminals receive a due penalty for their evil deed.

In the western world, we once knew and understood this (at least on paper). But in our day, not only is justice often delayed, it is sometimes turned upside-down – the victim becomes the criminal!

But there is even more injustice here, says the “Preacher” (v. 11)!

When evildoers are not punished speedily for their crime, then “the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil” (v. 11).

Friends, justice is when a criminal is rightly and swiftly punished, but so too is legal retribution a deterrent to other would-be criminals – the law teaches wicked men to fear.

What a mockery are many courtrooms in America, where criminals are excused, evildoers become victims, and the wicked go free.

This is certainly a personal injustice (against the true and immediate victim), but it’s also a societal injustice (a sure way to incite more crimes and tempt more criminals).

Friends, this kind of injustice and absurdity is all around us today… and we can attest to what the “Preacher” is saying.

Finally (in v. 14), the “Preacher” summarizes his absurd or vain observations by saying, “there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous” (Ecc. 8:14).

What an inversion of justice! What an absurdity!

Friends, there is no such thing as karma (as the Buddhists or Hindus or Sikhs believe), and I can’t think of many concepts that are more easily disproven by nearly universal experience.

We live in a world where the righteous often suffer at the hands of the wicked… neither one gets their due.

In our world, the wicked seem to prosper; and even in death the wicked are praised for a righteousness they never had.

But the righteous often go on in lack and obscurity; and when they die, they are disparaged or ignored entirely.

Friends, we must not despair, nor should we give up on doing good (as we shall see later on in our passage)… But we also must not pretend that the life we live under the sun is all honey and roses for those who do right.

The “Preacher” of Ecclesiastes helps us to know that it is perfectly appropriate for us (even as Bible-believing Christians) to see the world as it is – it is full of injustice and absurdity… It is not all vanity, but it is truly vanity.

2. Life is Fleeting (9:1-6)

We will get to the two positive sections of our passage in just a bit, but I want to frontload the two negative ones… so, let’s look to chapter 9, verse 1. If the main point of our first negative section was the reality of absurdity and injustice in the world, then the main point here is the limitation, the brevity, and the finality of life under the sun – Life is short, and then you die.

Life is short.

See v. 1, “All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God” (Ecc. 9:1).

We will dive more into this in point 3, but notice here that the “Preacher” says God is in charge of everything that happens.

But even for the “righteous” and “wise,” they cannot “know” what lies ahead for them – “whether it is love or hate” (v. 1).

This is not saying that God may literally “love” or “hate” the “righteous,” but that the “righteous” cannot judge by his circumstances or by his length of life whether God “loves” or “hates” him.

“both” losses and victories, “both” life and death, “both… love and hate… are before him” or “in his future” (v. 1).

Indeed, the “Preacher” says, “It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, the good and the evil” (v. 2).

Friends, we do not know what length of life God has planned for us, and we do not know what circumstances God will give us in our days ahead.

Indeed, God has intended it to be this way.

“man cannot find out… all the work of God” (v. 17).

“However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out” (v. 17).

“Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out” (v. 17).

We are not God.

It is not for us to know all that God has planned.

We are not capable of understanding all of God’s intentions and activities in the world.

God’s wisdom and power are so far beyond us, and that’s why we must simply fear and trust Him.

What we do know is that life is short, and death comes to all.

“the same event happens to all” (v. 3).

“the living know that they will die” (v. 5).

Life is short, then you die.

Death comes…

“to the righteous and the wicked” (v. 2).

“to the good and the evil” (v. 2).

“to the clean and the unclean” (v. 2).

“to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice” (v. 2).

And notice how the “Preacher” does not despair, but rather emphasizes the importance of using the short life we have for action!

He says, “But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecc. 9:4).

From this perspective, it is better to be alive than dead!

“For the living [at least] know that they will die, but the dead know nothing… and they have no more share in all that it done under the sun” (vv. 5-6).

Amid all this negativity, we might expect the “Preacher” to say that it’s better to die than to go on living in this absurd, unjust, and fleeting world. In fact, you may recall that he’s said something like this before – “I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive” (Ecc. 4:2).

But that’s not where our passage takes us. Life is short, and then you die… but do not despair. Rather, we ought to fear God and enjoy the days He gives.

3. Fear God and Enjoy Life (8:15-17)

Fear God and enjoy life, because God has given us these few and finite days.

Let’s turn our attention toward the two positive passages which offer applications for what we should believe and how we ought to live in this sin-cursed and upside-down world.

The “Preacher” of Ecclesiastes has already laid out some breadcrumbs (in 8:12-13) to lead us toward our first big takeaway (in 8:15-17).

“Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him” (Ecc. 8:12).

“But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God” (8:13).

At first, this may seem like a contradiction – “How can a wicked man BOTH ‘prolong his life’ AND NOT ‘prolong his days’ by being wicked and without a fear of God?”

It seems to me that the “Preacher” is using a turn of phrase (i.e., “prolong his life/days”) to refer to one’s well-being before God.

Both the wicked and the righteous endure topsy-turvy circumstances in this life under the sun, but the wicked lives under a constant reminder that he’s condemned before God.

The righteous, on the other hand, can rest assured (whatever his circumstances, be they good or bad) knowing that (A) God is the giver of his mortal days, and (B) God will judge all things rightly on the last day.

This (I think) is the main takeaway of vv. 15-17.

Whatever “days” we have “under the sun” are “days… that God has given” (Ecc. 8:15).

As we’ve already noted, there is so much we “cannot find out” about what lies ahead of us (v. 17), but what we can know for sure is that God is sovereign over every single day we have.

Therefore, we ought to “fear” or revere or honor God today (no matter where we find ourselves – in comfort or in sorrow).

We ought to trust that God knows what He’s doing.

We ought to be confident that God sees every wrong against us.

And we ought to rest assured that God will reward every righteous deed we do (sometimes in this life, but surely in the life to come).

And, in our fear of God, we ought to “eat and drink and be joyful” (v. 15).

This is the “Preacher” revisiting a major theme of this book.

Have we good food on our tables?

Then let’s eat and be joyful!

Have we good drink in our cups?

Then let’s drink and be joyful!

Have we good health, good opportunities, or good resources?

Then let’s enjoy, let’s act, and let’s spend the time, treasure, and talent we have… as well as we may… in the fear of God (that is, according to God’s design and commands)… and with glad and grateful hearts.

Friends, on any given day of our lives, we have a choice to make.

We can choose to focus on our failures, our inabilities, our sorrows, and our obstacles. Or, we can choose to count what successes God has given us, what skills He’s granted, what joys He’s provided, and what help He’s been to us.

This life is truly full of injustices and absurdities. And this life is fleeting – it is oh so short, and death is coming for us all. But these are not the whole picture… and this is especially true for the believer (for the Christian).

God has given us many good days too, brothers and sisters… and even on our bad days, God has given us much good in and through them.

If we fear God, if we honor and trust Him, if we cling to His promises of grace and mercy (particularly in the Lord Jesus Christ), then every hardship or sorrow we face is the only the last gasps of this fallen world, which sometimes feels so heavy upon us… but (brothers and sisters) we will soon it leave behind.

4. Enjoy Life Energetically (9:7-10)

In this final section, the “Preacher” urges his reader to enjoy the life God has given with energy, knowing it is God’s gift and it will soon be over. And he lists three distinct areas or aspects of life that we ought to focus our everyday energy. Let’s consider them each in turn.

Feasting – “eat your bread… and drink your wine” (Ecc. 9:7).

Throughout the Bible, the abundance of bread and wine is a mark of God’s blessing, and here the “Preacher” is urging his reader to celebrate.

Indeed, “God has already approved” of such a celebration of His blessings by giving them to us!

When we have more than we need, we ought not pretend otherwise, nor should we throw away God’s blessings out of some sense of false piety (as though God always wants His people to appear poor or wanting).

Rather, we should wear our party clothes, we should decorate our heads with praise (that’s the meaning of v. 8!), and we should celebrate “with joy” and “with a merry heart” (v. 7).

Brothers and sisters, do you feast, and do you praise God for His blessings when you do it?

The dead do not feast. They don’t taste. They don’t celebrate. Let’s enjoy God’s earthly blessings while we can!

Marriage – “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love” (v. 9).

The Bible also teaches us that marriage is to be honored and enjoyed.

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing” (Prov. 18:22).

“A prudent [or “wise”] wife is from the LORD” (Prov. 19:14).

And “an excellent wife… is far more precious than jewels… She does [her husband] good” (Prov. 31:10-12).

This is not to mock or discourage those who are single among us, but this is to praise and celebrate the biblical and natural norm.

Most of us ought to get married!

And those of us who are married ought to enjoy our spouse.

We ought to build a life together.

We ought to enjoy the blessing of children (if God should grant us children).

We ought to remain faithful, and we ought to find much gladness in our later years as we look around to see the families God has given us in His kindness.

Brothers and sisters, the dead do not marry. They don’t enjoy the warmth of a spouse. Let’s enjoy God’s earthly blessings!

Work/Labor – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (v. 10).

As with feasting and marriage, the ability to work and the produce that comes from it… these are a blessing from the Lord.

Good “work” or “labor” yields “plenty of bread” (Prov. 12:11).

“the work of a man’s hand comes back to him,” and by it “a man is satisfied with good” (Prov. 12:14).

And a woman’s “work” will “praise her in [public]” (Prov. 31:31).

Friends, work is not a result of the fall.

We are not forced to work because of Adam’s sin.

Rather, sin and God’s curse upon the world make work harder than it has to be and less productive than it should be.

Work is something God created humans to do from the very beginning, and when God gives us the ability and opportunity to do good work, we ought to do it with our might or strength.

Brothers and sisters, the dead do not work. And they do not see the fruit of their labors. Let’s enjoy God’s earthly blessings while we can!

Friends, in modern American Evangelicalism, there seems to me to be a common inability to embrace the dual citizenship of Christians in the world –

Either we are citizens of earth, with worldly desires and loves, and with worldly cares and concerns.

Or, we are citizens of Christ’s heavenly kingdom, with no love for this world, and with no care or concern for worldly interests.

But no Christian really lives like this!

Christians can… and they often do talk like the only loves and cares that matter are those pertaining to eternity.

But they live their everyday lives with a whole bunch of care for their worldly interests – their family, their bellies, and their bank accounts.

Our passage today teaches us that we can and should have tremendous interest in the world (even though it is fallen and fleeting). We dare not put all our attention upon worldly pleasures, since these will never satisfy, and since we are prone to sin with them. But we also must not forget that we live in the world God has given us… during the days we have… for His glory and for our joy.

We ought to work and build. We ought to marry and produce children. We ought to feast and celebrate. We ought to keep and preserve that stuff, those areas, and the people God has placed under our care.

Life is truly unjust, absurd, and fleeting in this world under the sun, but we must fear God and enjoy life (not despair), because God has given us these days and they will soon be over.